Bike won't ride straight (RF900)

[manwithav8]

To be fair, Katman would have, I'm sure.
A tighten (of bearings) is a fix of a symptom.....

As Robert Taylor eluded to... Bike mechanics are notoriously underpaid.....

To add my ten cents worth, I hope we can all learn from what manwithav8 went through, and learn to get head bearings replaced when necessary, rather that "tweeked". It obviously makes a bike a scary piece of kit to ride, and if you are concentrating on a fault with the machine, you are not paying full attention to the road.

Agree with your 2 cents quickbuck, but I beleive it comes down to the experience of the bike mechanic to advise replacement bearings are required. If they adjusted and test rode they should have found that things were not right. Look deeper into the problem. The fact a bike mechanic is underpaid isn't excuse for a half arsed job...

To add to the problem is the right back up from wellington to palmerston north was nothing short of wonderful. The bike perofrmed better than I could have asked. Steering was better than I think i has ever been. I know there is still an issue there and will go ahead an replace the bearings but this fault is intermittant and I can't think of why so playing it safe..

Thanks to all who gave advice etc..

Becareful of those bike shops, I will be paying them a visit tomorrow to question their diagnostic method and also to voice how dissatisfied I am with their service..

[FROSTY:Me]

shagged steering head bearings are NOT an intermittant issue.
Nooone here has actually said this so far I think.
At work kick the side stand down and see if you can get a hefty mate to help ya. Lean the bike to the left till the back wheels in the air Now get your mate to push down hard on the back grab handle.
Bike should now be perched with the front wheel a couple of inches in the air.
Now turn the steering to straight ahead and turn it gently and slowly a few degrees left and right. I suspect you'll feel a a "bit" of a clunk as you go off center. If you feel it thats your problem nailed--buggered bearings.

But so far NOONE has bothered asking about your tyres.
How worn are they,what brand,what tyre pressure and what sizes

[elevenhundred]

shagged steering head bearings are NOT an intermittant issue.
Nooone here has actually said this so far I think.
At work kick the side stand down and see if you can get a hefty mate to help ya. Lean the bike to the left till the back wheels in the air Now get your mate to push down hard on the back grab handle.
Bike should now be perched with the front wheel a couple of inches in the air.
Now turn the steering to straight ahead and turn it gently and slowly a few degrees left and right. I suspect you'll feel a a "bit" of a clunk as you go off center. If you feel it thats your problem nailed--buggered bearings.

But so far NOONE has bothered asking about your tyres.
How worn are they,what brand,what tyre pressure and what sizes

Yup, had a similar problem myself. Bike felt like it was wandering.
When the bike shop did my wof they said I needed to adjust the headset bearings but I suspected they were farked.
Pulled the head bearings out and they were notched, replaced them and even though it was better there was still some residual instability. Replaced the tyre and balanced the wheel and has been good since.

[Subike]

Yup, had a similar problem myself. Bike felt like it was wandering.
When the bike shop did my wof they said I needed to adjust the headset bearings but I suspected they were farked.
Pulled the head bearings out and they were notched, replaced them and even though it was better there was still some residual instability. Replaced the tyre and balanced the wheel and has been good since.

Interested in this post, as my bike has recently started to wander in a straight line. I put it down to road conditions, as it was not huge, just the occasional wiggle.I know that I am due for a new front tyre, and a fork seak needs replacing, so will see if the wandering will dissapear with a new tyre and a new fork seals. . New head bearings were fitted 8 months ago.
Its good to read these threads and get ideas to look at.

[Robert Taylor]

Interested in this post, as my bike has recently started to wander in a straight line. I put it down to road conditions, as it was not huge, just the occasional wiggle.I know that I am due for a new front tyre, and a fork seak needs replacing, so will see if the wandering will dissapear with a new tyre and a new fork seals. . New head bearings were fitted 8 months ago.
Its good to read these threads and get ideas to look at.

the headraces may well need readjusting, easy to have done whilst the forks are repaired.

[Mully]

Manwithav8 - don't worry about trying to fix it, it's fucked. I'll give you $10.

It's a good offer. I suggest you take it.